Vending machine



1921 2 sheets-Sheet 1 B. WILLIAMS VENDING MACHINE Filed June 18.

May 1, 1923.

May 1, 1923. 1,453,424

B. WILLIAMS VENDING MACHINE F iled'Ju ne 18. 1921 v 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 4 gwoentoz BE/cE WILL/HMS.

Patented May i, 1923 VENDING MACHINE.

Application filed June 18,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Baron WILLIAMS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Kokomo, in the county of Howard and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vending Machines, of which the following is a vspecification.

This invention relates to improvements in vending machines, and more particularly to a machine for vending gum or peanuts, al-

though it will be understood that it may be readily arranged for vending various commodities. The prime feature of the invention is the provision of a multiple dispensing mechanism whereby different quantities of the commodity may be dispensed depending upon the size and value of the coin employed for operating the vending machine.

A further feature of the invention is the provision of a single mechanism for operating either of the dispensing parts of the device, means being provided so that when a certain size coin is entered in the operating mechanism the mechanism may be rotated and one of the dispensing mechanisms operated, and when a different size coin is entered in the operating mechanism the mechanism may be rotated and the other dispensing mechanism operated.

A further feature of the invention is the provision of means for holding the dispensing mechanism in operative position until a coin of prescribed size is entered into the operating mechanism, additional mechanism being employed for preventing the operation of the parts other than those designed to be operated by the coin entered into the operatin mechanism.

A-furt er feature of the invention is the provision of means for agitating the contents of the vending machine and causing the same to readily enter cavities in the dispensing parts.

A further feature of the invention is the provision of means for conveying the dis- 'pensed commodities to suitable discharge points.

Other objects and advantages will be hereinafter more fully set forth and pointed out in the" accompanying specification.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the vending machine, I

Figure 2 is a side elevation thereof,

1921. Serial No. 478,628.

Referring to the drawings in which similar reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, 1 indicates a receptacle or housing in which the articles or commodities to be dispensed are placed, and in this instance gum in globular form is shown as the commodity being dispensed, The receptacle 1 may be constructed in any uitable shape and size, but in the present instance is shown as substantially square, in cross section and constituting a frame portion 2, and panels 3 of transparent material, preferably glass,

the panels of glass being connected with the frame member in any suitable manner.

"The receptacle 1 is mounted upon a hollow base 1 at the top end of which is pro vided a partition 5, said partition having an enlarged opening 6 therethrough. Immeditely below the partition 5 and registering with the opening 6 is a dispensing receptacle 7 preferably circular and resting in a horizontal plane which ismoun'ted upon a hub 8, said dispensing receptacle having a plurality of pockets 9 into which the balls of gum 10 enter, the depth of the pockets being such that two'balls of the gum will enter each pocket at the same time,

A floor 11 is secured within the base portion 4 immediately below the dispensing receptacle 7, said floor preventing the balls of gum from leaving the pockets 9 until said pockets have been turned to a predetermined point and at said point the fioor 11 is pro-I vided with an orifice 12 through which the balls of'gum may descend into a delivery chute 13, said chute extending laterally from the orifice 12 and through one wall ofthe base portion 4, so that the balls of gum will move by gravity to the lower end of the chute which is positioned exteriorly of the base member. 1

The hub 8 is hollow and within the hollow ortion 14 is oositioned a secondar dis-- P l y ;to prevent more. than one ball from enter- "face 32 of the gear rotated in one direction and is caused to rot'ate with the operating shaft in any suit- .a clutch face 21 with which co-operates a clutch 22 which is mounted upon the shaft 19and caused to rotate therewith. the clutch being slidable on the shaft so that when the bevel gear 20 is rotated in one direction the shaft 19 and the secondary dispensing receptacle will be caused to rotate. but when rotated in the opposite direction the clutch 22 will ride over the clutch face 21 and force the clutch downwardly. -A spring 23 between the lower end of the clutch and a bracket 2%, through which the lower end of the shaft 19 projects holds the clutch in engap I position with the clutch face 21. the clutch 22 is held against rotation. and consequently the shaft 19 and parts attached thereto when the bevel gear is reversely rotated by providing the clutch with studs25 which co-operate with a spring latch 26 secured to the bracket 24:. the latch being so arranged that the clutch can freely rotate in one direction. but will be held against rotation in the opposite direction.

The bevel gear 20 is rotated through the medium of a vertically disposed bevel gear 27 which ismounted on the inner end of an operating shaft 28, said shaft preferably extending in a horizontal plane and being connected at its outer end to a coin receiving disk 29, said disk having a handle or knob portion 30 for rotating-the same, and when the coin receiving disk 29 is rotated inone direction the secondary dispensing receptacle through the medium of gears 203ml 27 will be given a half revolution. ano'one of the openings 16, having a ball of gum therein. brought into registration with *the port 18 through the block 17.

In order to ooerate the dis )ensing rece 3- J '1 tacle 7 from the operating shaft 28.. a bevel gear 31 is mounted on the shaft 28 between thegear 27 and the disk 29, the end of the hub of the bevel gear 31 having a clutch face with which co-operates a clutch 33. said clutch being slidahle onthe shaft 28 so that it will weld and ride over the clutch when the shaft 28 is n'er as by means of a feather or heclutc'h is held in operative t 57vh the clutch face by means of a spring 35 which surrounds the operating shaft 28 and presses against the end of the clutch. The gear 31 meshes with cogs 36 on the lower end of the hub 8, and

as the dispensing receptacle 7 is fixed to the hub 8, said receptacle will be rotated when the shaft 28 is turned in one direction, and in view of the clutch mechanism associated with the gear 31 and shaft 28., the dispensing receptacle 7 will remain. stationary when the operating shaft 28 is rotated in the opposite direction for operating the secondary dispensing receptacle 17 a spring pressed pawl 37 engaging the teeth of the bevel gear 31 for preventing reverse rotation of said gear. 7

In view of the limited path of travel of the openings 16, difiiculty might be experienced in causing the balls of gum to enter said openings. especially in the event that the balls should become bridged at a point above the receptacles 15., and to overcome these objectionable features. agitating'nienr hersare extended upwardly from'the receptacle 15, said members having angularly extending wing portions 56 at their lower ends which assist the agitating members in moving or agitatingthe balls of gum and guiding them into the openings 16.

in order to prevent more than the allotted number of the balls of gum being dispensed when the openings or pockets carrying the balls move into registration with the orifice or port 18. a shield 57 is extended inwardly from the partition 5, which shield i in registration over the orifice 12 and port 18 consequently the balls of gum cannot enter the openings in the two dispensing receptacles which are beneath the shield.

hen the disk 29 is rotated. the rotating motion will be imparted to the bevel gear 31, which. through the cogs 36, will rotate the dispensing receptacle 7, one-fourth of a revolution. thereby moving three ofthe tubular pockets 9 into registration with the orifice 12 and as the orifice contains two of the balls of gum. six balls will be deposited into the delivery chute The turning of the disk to the right imparts rotating motion to the secondary dispens 1g receptacle 15through the medium of the g ars 20 and 27. andowing to the fact that the pawl 37 is in engagement with the bevel gear 31,. said gear will be held against rotatron drag over the clutch face 32, while when the disk is rotated to the left the clutch 22 is held against rotation and as it is fixed to the shaft 19, the receptacle 15 will be held against operation the clutch face 21 in this instance ri'ding'over the end'of the clutch 22.

Although the'niachine shown-in the drawand primarily described as used for vending balls of gum, it is tohe fully understood that the same operating parts nlay consequently causing the gear 33 to be employed for vending peanuts in varied quantities and Without necessarily materially changing any of the parts of the device other than the contour of the pockets 9, which may be also arranged for vending various articles or commodities.

Having thus fully described my said invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a vending machine, a pair of horizontally disposed dispensing receptacles, one within the other and substantially in the same horizontal plane, said receptacles having passages therethrough for collecting and dispensing the contents of the vending machine, a single operating mechanism for said dispensing receptacles, means for causing said receptacles to operate singly, and means for causing one of said dispensing receptacles to rotate a greater distance at each operation than the other whereby a greater amount of the contents of the vending machine Will be dispensed from one receptacle than the other with the same relative movement of the operating parts.

2. In a vending machine, a pair of rotatable dispensing receptacles, one Within the other, a single operating shaft for both receptacles, a pair of gears on said operating shaft for rotating said receptacles one at a time, and means associated with the operating shaft for retarding the rotating movement of the shaft at prescribed intervals.

3. In a vending machine, a dispensing receptacle having a plurality of openings therethrough for receiving particles to be dispensed, a secondary dispensing receptacle surrounded by the first receptacle and having a pair of openings for the reception of particles to be vended, a hub for the first receptacle having cogs thereon, a gear associated With the secondary receptacle, a single operating shaft, a gear on the operating shaft inter-meshing with the gear of the second dispensing receptacle, a gear on the same shaft intermeshing With the cogs of the first receptacle, clutch mechanisms cooperating With the first gear and the last gear, and means for holding one of the reoeptacles inoperative When the other receptacle is in operation.

4. In a vending machine, a pair of dis pensing receptacles, one surrounding the other, a hub for the outer receptacle, cogs on said hub, a shaft supporting the inner receptacle, gears on the operating shaft for co-operation with said cogs and the gear on the shaft supporting the inner receptacle, clutch mechanisms for controlling the'operation of said receptacles, means for holding one of the receptacles inoperative While the other receptacle is in operation, and means for imparting rotating movement to the operating shaft.

In Witness whereof; I have hereunto set my hand and seal at Indianapolis, Indiana, this 15th day of June, A. D. nineteen hundred and twenty-one.

BRICE WILLIAMS.

Witnesses:

CAREY FRYE, M. L. SHULER. 

